The authorities in Croatia confirm that agents were involved in violent pushbacks of migrants at the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina. The day before yesterday, a video surfaced of men in uniform driving back migrants with batons across the EU border between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Officers beat the refugees.
The chief of police in Croatia says three members of an intervention unit have been removed from their posts. They can expect more disciplinary action. “It’s our duty to get to the bottom of this.”
The pushbacks are in violation of international law. Aid organizations have been protesting against it for years. The European Commission called on Croatia and also Greece yesterday to do research to the allegations.
Croatian Interior Minister Bozinovic said yesterday that an investigation team had been appointed. Bozinovic now says he believes several police officers abused their power. He expects more information soon.
masked men
A research collective of, among others, Pointer and the French newspaper Release published the images of masked men crossing the border into Bosnia and Herzegovina for migrants in Croatia. According to Pointer, it is the first time that the pushbacks were filmed in high quality at this location. Until now, Croatia has always denied that illegal pushbacks were taking place.
This excerpt from the Pointer program shows how the masked men use violence against the refugees:
–
